Science Minister Kirsty Duncan Celebrates 40 Years of Science at TRIUMF

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 9, 2016) - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

The 40 anniversary of TRIUMF's cyclotron-the world's largest-is an extraordinary nation-building milestone. When founded, TRIUMF was supported by three western Canadian universities. Its membership has grown considerably since then and now includes 19 universities from coast to coast. The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, along with Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary for Science, visited the TRIUMF research laboratory today to celebrate this landmark in Canadian science and history.

TRIUMF has continued to reinvent itself over the years and push the boundaries of discovery and innovation in subatomic physics. It is home to cutting-edge science that has a tangible impact on the lives of Canadians. From helping advance the next generation of lithium batteries to developing medical isotopes to diagnose and treat cancer, TRIUMF's research has direct applications in our day-to-day world.

A hub for enquiry and ingenuity, TRIUMF has enabled Canada to be a significant player in the international science and technology landscape. TRIUMF is deeply integrated in the global scientific community, playing a part in Nobel Prize discoveries such as the Higgs boson in 2012 and Dr. Art McDonald's recently celebrated research demonstrating that neutrinos have mass.

Quotes

"As the Government of Canada celebrates TRIUMF's past, we look forward to its bright future, particularly as it continues to foster world-class research collaborations across the country and around the world. Thanks to TRIUMF's ambitious international partnerships, Canadian researchers have been at the centre of some of the most important global research projects. TRIUMF will continue to be the place where our brightest scientific and technical minds come together with our sharpest entrepreneurs, expanding the boundaries of knowledge and contributing to our social and economic growth."

- The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science

"The Government of Canada's investment in TRIUMF is helping to ensure that our country stays at the forefront of international subatomic physics research. Canadians will continue to benefit from the lab's groundbreaking discoveries for many years to come."

- Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Member of Parliament for Burnaby North-Seymour)

Quick facts

• Over the years, the Government of Canada has supported the world-class efforts of TRIUMF by providing nearly $1.5 billion in funding for capital, equipment and operations.
• TRIUMF, Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics and accelerator-based science, was founded in 1968. On February 9, 1976, Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau officially commissioned TRIUMF's cyclotron, the heart of the laboratory.
• TRIUMF's current flagship project-the Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory (ARIEL)-continues to reflect this collaborative Canadian-wide spirit by bringing together all of TRIUMF's member universities, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and several provincial partners.
• From the search for the Higgs boson to the Nobel Prize-winning discovery that neutrinos have mass, TRIUMF and its scientists have helped Canada partner with the global scientific community on some of the greatest discoveries in human history.

Associated links

http://www.triumf.ca

https://www.flickr.com/photos/triumflab/sets/72157661873373203

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